Alistair McGowan

Acting

Alistair McGowan

Born

1964-11-24 (61)

Place of birth

Evesham, Worcestershire, England

Known for

Acting

Credits

63 titles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Alistair McGowan (born 24 November 1964) is a British impressionist, stand-up comic, actor, singer and writer best known to British audiences for The Big Impression (formerly Alistair McGowan's Big Impression), which was, for four years, one of BBC1's top-rating comedy programmes - winning numerous awards, including a BAFTA in 2003. He has also worked extensively in theatre and appeared in the West End in Art, Cabaret, The Mikado and Little Shop of Horrors (for which he received an Laurence Olivier Award nomination.).) As an actor on television he played the lead role in BBC1's Mayo. He wrote the play Timing (nominated as Best New Comedy at the whatson…

Known for

Film credits

2020s · 3 titles

2010s · 5 titles

Arthur Christmas poster
6.8

For hundreds of years, the Claus family has delegated the title "Santa" to a chosen few of its members, which can be passed down upon retirement. Each Christmas, Santa and his vast army of highly trained elves produce gifts and distribute them around the world in a one-night high-tech operation. However, when one of 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa on Christmas Eve is missed, it is deemed ‘acceptable’ to all but one—Arthur Claus, the current Santa’s misfit son deemed ineligible for the title, who executes an unauthorised rookie mission to get the last present halfway around the globe before dawn on Christmas morning.

Arthur Christmas

2011

Whatever Happened to Spitting Image? poster
NR

Reuniting the founding creative team, this documentary tells the story of the genesis of the satirical puppet show `Spitting Image', with contributions from caricaturists Peter Fluck and Roger Law and TV producer John Lloyd. Spanning the early years of Margaret Thatcher's government to the end of John Major's, the puppets became almost as famous as the politicians they lampooned. In 2000, the puppets were auctioned off at Sotheby's and we find out where they now reside.

Whatever Happened to Spitting Image?

2010

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa poster
8.4

Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash discuss the creation of The Royle Family, with a look behind the scenes at the production of the show and interviews with the cast.

The Royle Family: Behind the Sofa

2010

No artwork available
NR

Words of Captain Scott uses readings of the diaries and letters of Captain Scott, his companions, and those of his Norwegian rival Roald Amundsen - to tell the story of their epic South Pole expedition in their own words.

Words of Captain Scott

2012

Falklands' Most Daring Raid poster
8.0

Documentary film about the then longest range bombing mission in history, which changed the outcome of the Falklands War.

Falklands' Most Daring Raid

2012

2000s · 9 titles

My Life in Ruins poster
6.1

A Greek tour guide named Georgia attempts to recapture her kefi (Greek for mojo) by guiding a ragtag group of tourists around Greece and showing them the beauty of her native land. Along the way, she manages to open their eyes to the wonders of an exotic foreign land while beginning to see the world through a new set of eyes in the process.

My Life in Ruins

2009

Churchill: The Hollywood Years poster
5.3

A group of American executives making a film about World War II decide that since their lead is rather unglamorous, they will draft in an American G.I. to play the part of Winston Churchill. Their take on the war depicts a handsome Churchill falling in love with Princess Elizabeth, who is herself involved in the war as an undercover agent.

Churchill: The Hollywood Years

2004

Best Ever Spitting Image poster
NR

A documentary about Spitting Image (1984) and the impact it had, including clips of the most memorable moments and contributions from many of the cast, crew and some of celebrities portrayed on the show.

Best Ever Spitting Image

2006

Ealing Comedy poster
7.0

Alfie Singh, accountant turned film producer, has a great idea for a film. It's called Ealing Comedy and it's about an accountant turned film producer called Alfie Singh. Alfie will play himself and his real son, Paul, will play his son in the film. Turned down by all the financiers, Alfie vows to make the film himself. His life with his wife and teenage son and his struggles to finance and make films in the UK are all woven together in a series of mad-cap events, resulting in a very British film

Ealing Comedy

2008

We Are Most Amused poster
7.2

We Are Most Amused was a gala event held at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 12 November 2008 in honour of the 60th birthday of Charles, Prince of Wales, in aid of The Prince's Trust. Prince Charles attended the event with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and younger son Prince Harry. The show had a similar format to the Royal Variety Show and showcased a variety of comedy acts. The performance was televised by ITV to the public on 15 November 2008. Robin Williams made his first UK stage appearance in more than 25 years. Tickets were sold to the general public and the event sold out in one hour.

We Are Most Amused

2008

No artwork available
6.5

Shot live at the one off Comic Aid benefit gig at London’s Carling Apollo – which sold out in just three and a half minutes of tickets being put on sale – the DVD features the entire uncut show for all those unfortunate enough to have missed out on tickets. The 3 hour show sees Jonathan Ross, Jack Dee, Graham Norton, Julian Clary, and Lily Savage host a stellar comic line-up that includes; Lee Evans, Dawn French, Jimmy Carr, Ardal O’Hanlon, Johnny Vegas, Bill Bailey, Bo’ Selecta! star The Bear, Jo Brand, Jon Culshaw, Omid Djalili, Otis Lee Crenshaw, Eddie Izzard, The League Of Gentlemen with Miranda Richardson, Alistair McGowan, Dylan Moran, Dave Spikey, Simon Pegg & Jessica Stevenson. Psychological illusionist Derren Brown and international percussion sensation Stomp also present their own unique blend of stage entertainment.

Comic Aid

2005

Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe poster
5.5

Follow Robbie as he sets out to discover a mythical tribe of lost Viking warriors to help him save his friends from another dastardly plot by the evil Blitzen and his new-found partner-in-crime The White Rabbit. Robbie is having girl trouble too - Donner is feeling neglected and decides to give Robbie an ultimatum. Can Robbie save the day, keep his girl and unravel the mystery of the Legend of the Lost Tribe?

Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe

2002

Cor, Blimey! poster
7.2

Dramatisation of the love affair between Sidney James and Barbara Windsor, played out against the backdrop of the 'Carry On' films during the 1960s and 1970s.

Cor, Blimey!

2000

No artwork available
NR

A short film from Toby Haynes.

Lost and Found

2003

1990s · 6 titles

Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire poster
6.1

Robbie the Reindeer arrives at the North Pole, ready to take his place as navigator on Santa's Christmas sleigh team. However, Robbie is soon plagued by doubt regarding his ability, and sets out to regain his self-respect and the admiration of his team-mates.

Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire

1999

Spitting Image: From F.A to Fair Play poster
NR

Discover the secrets of the pre-match talks between Venables and the England team. Find out what the Queen really said to the German line-up. See how Graham Taylor would have lost it. Enjoy expert commentary from Bjork, Jeremy Clarkson and Keith Richards, Learn and sing along to the Politically Correct Terrace Chants. See a sneak preview of Tarantino's most violent film yet - "Bastards in Short Pants". Share the most secret thoughts of Jean-Paul Gaultier on the romantic side of football. And Not Much More! Except the football. Oh yes.

Spitting Image: From F.A to Fair Play

1996

An Evening with Gary Lineker poster
5.0

From their 1991 stageplay An Evening with Gary Lineker was adapted for television in 1994 by Arthur Smith and Chris England. The action takes place against the backdrop of the 1990 Football World Cup semi-final, between England and West Germany, which is taking place in Italy while Monica and Bill are on holiday in Ibiza. Bill desperately wants to watch the match; Monica wants to talk about their relationship.

An Evening with Gary Lineker

1994

Thatcherworld poster
NR

The Jenkins family are selected by a computer to be the first visitors of the nation’s newest and most exciting theme park - Thatcherworld.

Thatcherworld

1993

Spitting Image: Election Special '92 poster
NR

The classic election special from 1992. Will the grey man or the windbag be the one to ruin Britain?

Spitting Image: Election Special '92

1992

No artwork available
7.5

The once-reknowned escape-artist and magician, Kandinsky, is now reduced to confounding the staff and inmates of his retirement home.

The Great Kandinsky

1995

Series credits

The Graham Norton Show poster
7.2

Each week celebrity guests join Irish comedian Graham Norton to discuss what's being going on around the world that week. The guests poke fun and share their opinions on the main news stories. Graham is often joined by a band or artist to play the show out.

The Graham Norton Show

2007

The One Show poster
4.3

A topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One.

The One Show

2006

Have I Got News for You poster
7.1

Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.

Have I Got News for You

1990

GMTV poster
5.8

GMTV is the name of the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor/licensee, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end. The final edition of GMTV was broadcast on 3 September 2010.

GMTV

1993

Skins poster
8.1

Irreverent comedy drama which follows the messy lives, loves, delirious highs and inevitable lows of a group of raucous teenage friends in Bristol.

Skins

2007

Richard & Judy poster
3.4

Richard & Judy was a British chat show presented by the married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. The show originally aired on Channel 4, from 2001 to 2008, but later moved to digital channel, Watch, in October 2008. The programme featured a number of celebrities and a book club. Its final episode aired in July 2009 due to low ratings.

Richard & Judy

2001

No artwork available
4.5

The Alan Titchmarsh Show is a British daytime chat show presented by Alan Titchmarsh. It was first broadcast on ITV on 3 September 2007 and currently airs on weekday afternoons. The show's main focus is the "Best of British" theme with many of the shows' segments focusing on fashion, health, nature, cookery and animals.

The Alan Titchmarsh Show

2007

Parkinson poster
NR

Michael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.

Parkinson

1998

Mock the Week poster
7.1

Mock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game hosted by Dara Ó Briain. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment.

Mock the Week

2005

Who Do You Think You Are? poster
7.0

A British genealogy documentary series in which celebrities trace their ancestry, discovering secrets and surprises from their past.

Who Do You Think You Are?

2004

Celebrity Mastermind poster
6.0

Celebrity Mastermind is a British television quiz show broadcast by BBC television. The show is a spin-off of the long-running quiz show Mastermind, with the exception that all the contestants are celebrities. As with the main show, John Humphrys is the host and question-master. Magnus Magnusson was quizmaster on the 2003/04 episodes featuring Jonathan Meades as winner.

Celebrity Mastermind

2003

Jonathan Creek poster
7.6

Working from his home in a converted windmill, Jonathan Creek is a magician with a natural ability for solving puzzles. He soon puts this ability to the use of solving impossible crimes and mysterious murders.

Jonathan Creek

1997

Spitting Image poster
7.2

Spitting Image is an award winning British satirical puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. The series was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Independent Television over 18 series which aired on the ITV from 1984 to 1996. The series was nominated and won numerous awards during its run including 10 BAFTA Awards, including one for editing in 1989, and even won two Emmy Awards in 1985 and 1986 in the Popular Arts Category. The series featured puppet caricatures of celebrities famous during the 1980s and 1990s, including British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and fellow Tory politicians, American president Ronald Reagan, and the British Royal Family. The Series was the first to caricature the Queen mother.

Spitting Image

1984

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross poster
6.1

Jonathan Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band.

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

2001

Room 101 poster
6.6

Fast-moving game show meets talk show, which sees Frank Skinner refereeing three celebrities each week as they compete to banish their top peeve or worst nightmare to the depths of Room 101.

Room 101

1994

Murder Most Horrid poster
6.9

Comedienne Dawn French tackles dark, tongue-in-cheek thrillers as her various characters embark on a different mystery every episode. In one way or another, she is involved with murder — either committing the crime or even getting bumped off herself!

Murder Most Horrid

1991

The Weakest Link poster
6.0

Romesh Ranganathan takes charge of the back-stabbing big money game show. Can the contestants create a chain of answers and avoid the boot?

The Weakest Link

2021

Children's Ward poster
5.2

Children's Ward is a British children's television drama series produced by Granada Television and broadcast on the ITV network as part of its Children's ITV strand on weekday afternoons. The programme was set – as the title suggests – in Ward B1, the children's ward of the fictitious South Park Hospital, and told the stories of the young patients and the staff present there. Aimed at older children and teenagers, Children's Ward was a long-lived series for a children's drama, starting life in 1988 as a contribution to the Dramarama anthology strand, "Blackbird Singing In The Dead of Night", then first broadcast as a series 1989 and running from then until 2000. The series was conceived by Granada staff writers Paul Abbott and Kay Mellor, both of whom went on to enjoy successful careers as award-winning writers of adult television drama. At the time, they were both working on the soap opera Coronation Street, and had recently collaborated on a script for Dramarama. Abbott, who had been through a troubled childhood himself, had initially wanted to set the series in a children's care home rather than a hospital, but this was vetoed by Granada executives. During the course of its run, however, Children's Ward won many plaudits for covering difficult issues such as cancer, alcoholism, drug addiction and child abuse in a sensitive manner. The programme won many awards, including in 1996 a BAFTA Children's Award for Best Drama, won by an episode in which a serial killer lures children to him via the internet and is – highly unusually for children's television – not eventually caught.

Children's Ward

1989

Bleak House poster
8.0

The generous John Jarndyce, struggling with his own past, and his two young wards Richard and Ada, are all caught up, like Lady Dedlock, in the infamous case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce, which will make one of them rich beyond imagination if it can ever be brought to a conclusion. As Tulkinghorn digs deeper into Lady Dedlock's past, he unearths a secret that will change their lives forever, and which is almost as astounding as the final outcome of the Jarndyce case.

Bleak House

2005

Harry Enfield and Chums poster
7.2

Harry Enfield, Kathy Burke, Paul Whitehouse and others take on an array of oddball characters and old-time favorites in this sketch comedy show.

Harry Enfield and Chums

1994

Little Crackers poster
6.8

Little Crackers is a series of Christmas short films featuring stars of British and Irish comedy.

Little Crackers

2010

(All Quiet on the) Preston Front poster
5.8

All Quiet on the Preston Front (or the shortened Preston Front as it became known for series two and three) was a BBC comedy drama about a group of friends in the fictional Lancashire town of Roker Bridge, and their links to the local Territorial Army infantry platoon. It was created by Tim Firth and ran from 1994 to 1997.

(All Quiet on the) Preston Front

1994

This Morning poster
5.2

This Morning features a variety of news, as well as show business, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home and garden, food, tech, live phone-ins, and competitions.

This Morning

1988

Leonardo poster
7.5

Leonardo is a British children's television series broadcast on CBBC. The show is an adventure programme starring Jonathan Bailey as teenage Leonardo da Vinci. In 15th-century Florence, young Leonardo and his friends try to solve mysteries in 15th century Florence. His group includes fellow artists Lisa Gherardini—who disguises herself as boy named Tom—Machiavelli, and Lorenzo De Medici. Leo and Tom become apprentices at Verrocchio's workshop, where the maestro himself teaches them new artistic skills. A second series premiered on 20 September 2012, wherein actor James Clyde replaced Alistair McGowan in the role of Piero de' Medici. It was announced on 21 January 2013 that Leonardo would not be recommissioned.

Leonardo

2011

No artwork available
7.2

2DTV is a British satirical animated television show that was broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom from March 2001 to December 2004. Lasting a total of five series and thirty-three episodes, 2DTV became the successor of popular 80's TV series Spitting Image, and the predecessor of 2008 ITV satirical animation Headcases.

2DTV

2001

The Great Sport Relief Bake Off poster
NR

Well-known faces don their aprons in this charity special. Who has got what it takes to go all the way and compete for the Great Sport Relief Bake Off crown?

The Great Sport Relief Bake Off

2012

Fist of Fun poster
7.0

Fist of Fun was a British comedy television and radio programme, written by and starring Lee and Herring. A lot of the show's comic material was adapted from Lee and Herring's radio programme Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World. Each episode of Fist of Fun featured several disparate sketches and situations. Fist of Fun began as a BBC Radio 1 series in 1993, before becoming commissioned as a television series on BBC Two in early 1995. It was broadcast at 9pm on Tuesday nights, and was successful, but not a major ratings-winner. The second series was aired on Friday nights, and although its ratings were relatively good, the show suffered from a lack of preparation and poor promotion. The show was not given a third series, and Lee and Herring went on to write This Morning with Richard Not Judy, for BBC Two. Many other comedians who appeared in the series went on to fame themselves, including Kevin Eldon, Peter Baynham, Ronni Ancona, Alistair McGowan, Al Murray, John Thomson, Rebecca Front, Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins, Ben Moor and Sally Phillips.

Fist of Fun

1995

Twenty Twenty Six poster
7.0

Following on from his role at the BBC, Ian Fletcher leads the Oversight team behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the Director of Integrity. A spoof mockumentary following the organisation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Twenty Twenty Six

2026

Crapston Villas poster
7.8

Comedy satire on inner-city London life, directed at a mature audience. It features a set of characters, living in a grim apartment building in the fictional postcode of SE69, who are plagued by various dilemmas.

Crapston Villas

1995

Mayo poster
4.2

Charismatic detective Gil Mayo wise-cracks his way through a variety of murder mysteries alongside his sexy colleague, Alex Jones. Matters aren't simple between the old flames as flirtation could become something more - but who will make the first move? Life is further complicated by Gil's precocious teenage daughter Julie, who he's bringing up by himself after the disappearance of his wife. The detective does come up with a novel way to deal with the piles of bills he keeps receiving though - hiding them in the cupboard!

Mayo

2006

What the Dickens? poster
NR

What the Dickens is a television panel game hosted by Sandi Toksvig. Team captains were Dave Gorman and Tim Brooke-Taylor for the first series and Sue Perkins and Chris Addison for the second and third. It is recorded at Sky Studios in West London.

What the Dickens?

2008

The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos poster
6.5

Surreal and satirical narratives are assembled entirely out of archive film clips, with new soundtracks provided by voiceover artists.

The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos

1989

Monkey Trousers poster
7.5

Monkey Trousers was a short-lived comedy series on ITV in 2005, featuring Alistair McGowan, John Thomson, Ronni Ancona, Mackenzie Crook, Griff Rhys Jones, Neil Morrissey, Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Marc Wootton and Steve Coogan. It was directed by David Kerr and produced by Bob Mortimer and Vic Reeves' production company, Pett Productions. It succeeded The All Star Comedy Show, which was written by Reeves and Mortimer, and produced by Coogan. Sketches of the show included the moronic, yet fearless 'Croc Botherer', Roy the eerie, lonely toy-shopkeeper, Alistair the hopeless estate agent, who replies to every question with "I don't know", the swearing chef, and the 'Geordie Astronauts'. A DVD of the series was released on 4 July 2005.

Monkey Trousers

2005

Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive poster
7.0

Comedy series in which Rob Brydon plays himself as the host of a low-rent panel show

Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive

2006

No artwork available
NR

Davina was a British chat show hosted by Davina McCall. It first aired on BBC One on 15 February 2006, however, the show ended on 12 April 2006 at the end of its first series due to low ratings. One show attracted fewer than 2.3 million viewers, when it was moved to 7pm.

Davina

2006

No artwork available
7.0

Saturday morning magazine show with music, celebrities and competitions.

FBI Music Magazine

2000

No artwork available
6.5

The Big Impression, known as Alistair McGowan's Big Impression for the first three series, is a British comedy sketch show. It features Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona impersonating personalities from entertainment and sport. Four series and a number of specials were made by Vera Productions and it was first broadcast on BBC One between 2000 and 2004. The series has won five awards, including the 2003 BAFTA comedy programme prize.

The Big Impression

2000

No artwork available
NR

The Comedy Annual is a British entertainment comedy series which first aired on ITV on 22 December 2010. Presented by Phillip Schofield, the show features various comedians who talk about the unusuall events of the past year. There have been two episodes, the first airing in 2010 and the second in 2011.

The Comedy Annual

—

24 Hours in the Past poster
NR

Living history show presented by Fi Glover. Six celebrities travel back in time to the relentless graft of Victorian Britain.

24 Hours in the Past

2015

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford

2010